“Wait, wait, wait! You’re going to pull me down with you.”
“Give me better instructions, Birdsong!”
With her arm still wrapped around Juniper’s waist, Rowan tightened her body and prayed her strength could balance both of them. Falling into the water first thing that morning wasn’t how she’d intended this day to go.
“Okay, okay. Take one big step with one foot, and I’ll pull you over at the same time. Then try to put your feet on top of my boots so you don’t get stuck again.”
Working together this time, Juniper freed one foot and took a big step while Rowan pulled her the rest of the way out of the clay and against her body. Juniper balanced on her toes on top of Rowan’s boots to meld their bodies together.
The rising sun’s rays glittered across the dark water around them, intensifying the intimacy of the moment. Rowan lifted her hand to Juniper’s face, and with a gentle finger, traced theline under her rounded cheekbone to the corner of her lips. Her confession that she loved her was on the tip of her tongue, but the movement of her hand caused the docking rope she had wrapped around her wrist to go taut. Within seconds the boat bumped the back of Juniper’s legs, breaking their concentration apart. Rowan couldn’t bring herself to change anything about their position though. She couldn’t take her eyes off the woman in front of her.
“As much as I’d love to stand like this all day, I would also like to get in that boat that won’t stop hitting me in the back of the legs.” Juniper smirked up at her through her lashes.
“Right. Smart-ass.” Rowan shook her head in mock irritation.
“Instructions. Good ones this time.”
“Let’s try this. First, you’re going to turn around in my arms, while I keep the boat steady. Then, I’m going to stare at your ass while you lift one leg over into the boat, then the other. How about that?”
“Shame your hands will be preoccupied by keeping the boat steady.”
“Shame, indeed.”
Juniper licked the corner of her lips before turning around. Rowan gripped the gunwales along the top edge of the boat even harder when Juniper completed her rotation and pressed her ass back into Rowan.
Rowan pulled the boat against Juniper’s front, forcing their bodies back together. She leaned into her ear. “You like teasing me, huh?”
Juniper turned her face slightly. “What would give you that impression?” She forced her ass back again to give herself space as she lifted one leg over into the boat and hoisted herself upwards. “You like what you see?”
Rowan blew out a breath. “You have no idea.”
Juniper climbed to the front of the boat, while Rowan took her spot at the back to operate the motor. She tossed Juniper a flannel from her bag once they got seated.
“Here, take this. I know it’s warm, but the chill can pick up once we get going.”
Juniper pulled her arms through the sleeves of the shirt and buttoned the front. She reached one hand around her neck to grab her hair and pull it out of the back of the shirt.
“You might want to put your hair up too.”
“Damn, Ro, what did you do to the motor? I don’t remember it going that fast.”
“I may have made some slight improvements.” She paused. “I can braid it for you, if you want.”
Juniper angled her face over her shoulder and smiled. Rowan took that as an invitation, so she slid forward on her knees and collected the strands of Juniper’s hair before dividing it into three sections.
“I still know how to do this, you know,” she added. She was feeling a little self conscious. She didn’t need to be. But she was.
“I missed this,” Juniper sighed.
Then it was Rowan’s turn to smile. She took her time weaving the three sections together until she tied off the braid that hung close to Juniper’s waist.
“Not as tight as your mom’s, but I don’t think this boat ride calls for that.”
Juniper laughed. “I don’t think there’s any reason for them to be that tight ever.”
“Ready?” Rowan asked.
Juniper shook her head side to side before tapping a finger to her lips three times. Rowan slid a hand across her cheek and pulled her lips to hers. “Now?”
